Go beyond moods to reveal intrinsic employee engagement, motivation & well-being.
Employee engagement as a response: Experiences & environments matter
Employee motivation isn’t just about fleeting moods. It’s a complex dance between our neurobiological processes and the experiences we have in our work environment. For example, the reward system in our brains, fuelled by dopamine, kicks in when we take risks, solve problems, and overcome challenges. This fosters positive engagement, with employees focusing more effort and attention. Yet, negative experiences can prime some to fear risk and prioritise avoiding loss, leading to avoidant behaviours that hinder cooperation, performance, and overall well-being.
Genetics & neurobiology: Subconscious motivations
Our genes play a part in shaping our motivations, influencing the needs we feel – safety, connection, empowerment, task reward, and identity. These needs, expressed through emotions, urges, and impulses, strongly influence our attitudes and behaviours at work.
Approach & avoidance motivation: Gain or loss? Engagement or fear?
There are two fundamental motivational systems:
- Approach motivation: This drives us to take actions that satisfy our basic needs.
- Avoidance motivation: This involves actions we take to avoid threats to those needs.
Approach as a preferred response: Engaged employees are smarter
Building high performance teams relies heavily on fostering approach-dominant responses. These employees are more likely to view risks and rewards positively, leading to better focus, energy, and problem-solving skills. Conversely, avoidance responses often trigger the fight-or-flight reaction, which reduces blood flow to the brain areas involved in processing information and clear thinking. This essentially leads to a temporary decrease in cognitive function and hinders effective problem-solving.
Impacts of employee engagement: Effort, capability & behaviour
Employees who feel their work environment helps them fulfil their basic needs (favouring approach responses) are more likely to:
- Be present and engaged in their work.
- Cooperate with colleagues.
- Take ownership and responsibility.
- Perform at their best.
- Contribute to problem-solving.
- Experience overall well-being.
More than employee engagement: What to expect
To gain deeper insights into your employees’ motivations and engagement, consider the NEURO-M Predictive Employee Engagement Assessment.
The NEURO-M Predictive Employee Engagement Assessment Report provides a comprehensive picture, including:
- Current and predicted employee engagement
- Fulfilment of basic motivational needs (a strong predictor of attitude, effort, performance, and retention)
- The likelihood of passive vs. active avoidance responses (helping you identify potential issues early)
- Work-life balance
- Sense of safety and values alignment
- Intention to stay
Exclusive Insights into employee engagement: Information you can use immediately
By delving into the underlying motivations, responses, and trends revealed by the NEURO-M assessment, you gain valuable insights into why your employees feel, behave, and perform the way they do. This empowers you to:
- Develop employees and plan their careers effectively.
- Design optimal work environments that cater to motivational needs.
- Improve management systems and skills to enhance high performance team management.
- Build on employee strengths and address challenges at their root cause.
Unlocking the power of employee engagement starts with understanding the why behind the what. Learn more about the NEURO-M Predictive Employee Engagement Assessment here: link
NEURO-M Predictive Employee Engagement Assessment
Let NEURO-M help you unlock the secrets of employee engagement and build a high-performing team. This unique assessment, rooted in neurobiology and motivation, provides powerful insights to optimise your workplace environment and employee experience, leading to increased performance, retention, and well-being.